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HOUSE VOTES ON EXTENSION TODAY: Members will take up a 90-day transportation stopgap under suspension of the rules — two-thirds of the chamber must approve it. Republicans seem to acknowledge the vote might fail: They would need dozens of Democratic votes despite vocal opposition, and the Monday vote leaves time for leaders to bring it up later in the week under a rule that would only require a simple majority.

But it would also open Dems to GOP criticisms that they voted for a shutdown since leaders will not bring up the Senate’s bill despite calls from the Senate and President Obama. DOT programs and the gas tax expire Sunday without congressional action, so the Senate would need to clear a stopgap this week.

ABOUT THAT... Senate leaders have so far avoided endorsements of an extension as they pressure the House to take up the upper chamber’s bill. But they’re quietly drafting a stopgap of their own. The Senate could push for an extension of 45 or 60 days, EPW Chairwoman Barbara Boxer told stakeholders on a Friday conference call.

While GOP leadership member John Thune is on board (according to Boxer), getting unanimous consent for it will be tough. With less than a week until a shutdown, there won’t be time for all the necessary cloture motions and 30-hour clocks. Team MT has the scoop for Pros: http://politico.pro/GNAlTV

A lobbyist’s view: “Frankly, if they can’t work out the duration of an extension, it bodes very poorly for a multiyear bill. Seriously, if it’s got to be my way or the highway on an extension, I mean what’s going to happen when presumably they get to talking about a multiyear bill?”

Don’t blame the election: Joshua Schank, a former Hill staffer who worked on SAFETEA-LU and now at the Eno Center for Transportation, told MT the presidential election won’t be to blame if we end up with extensions instead of reauthorization.

“It’s not so much the election that is the limiting factor as the fact that the bill the Senate passed expires next September. The closer this thing gets to being just a one-year bill, the less useful it is to lawmakers relative to an extension, particularly on the House side. Also the House is still talking about a longer-term bill, and this makes a successful conference in a short period of time unrealistic. So the House must show a willingness to do a shorter bill and they must show it within the next month for anything besides a clean extension to become law.”

TREASURE THIS: The Treasury Department released a report concluding “now is an optimal time to increase the nation’s investment in transportation infrastructure.” The analysis suggests President Obama’s proposed upfront transportation investment of $50 billion and a bump in annual funding will aid the middle class and bolster sagging employment rates in the construction industry. Read it here: http://bit.ly/GJTYHU

HOW CONVENIENT: Citing that report, Obama used his weekly address to again ask for Congress to come together on a bipartisan transportation bill. “The Senate did their part … now it’s up to the House to follow suit,” the president said, highlighting job erosion that would result from expiration of current policy. Obama told the House to “put aside partisan posturing” — but a House GOP aide reminds us the Senate needs to do its own work: “Congress is a bicameral body. The U.S. Senate does not equal the U.S. Congress.” More from Donovan Slack: http://politi.co/GNJecN

WEEK AHEAD — Budget deadline: House Rules meets Tuesday on the budget resolution — amendments are due tonight by 7 p.m. There should be some transportation-related ones, though it’s unclear how many the GOP majority will make in order. At the markup last week, Earl Blumenauer tried and failed to add $50 billion in stimulus-style infrastructure spending that was called for in Obama’s budget. Amends will be posted at http://bit.ly/GPXel7

Keep it clean: Transportation Energy Partners kicks off a conference on energy independence today. Several Monday sessions cover the clean fuel and vehicle industries and members head to the Hill to lobby Congress on Tuesday. Agenda: http://bit.ly/GJmkas

TSA trilogy: Two House committees (T&I and oversight) team up today for “TSA Oversight Part III: Effective Security or Security Theater?” If the title didn’t give it away, expect some tough grilling of the two assistant TSA administrators at the witness table. It starts at 1:30 p.m. in 2154 Rayburn. Briefing memo and prepared testimony: http://1.usa.gov/GRhIP8

More scheming: The next day, T&I’s Aviation Subcommittee holds a “roundtable discussion” on the EU’s global emissions trading program and how it affects the U.S. aviation industry, international law and global trade. In short: The U.S. hates it, so expect lots of criticisms. 10 a.m. in 2247 Rayburn.

Distracted driving: The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a one-day “attentive driving” forum and presser with singer/actress Jordin Sparks at its SW D.C. HQ in L’Enfant Plaza on Tuesday. http://1.usa.gov/H7m1Fn

Manage this: House Appropriations will go over DOT (and HUD) management issues on Thursday at 10 a.m. in 2358-A Rayburn. DOT IG Calvin Scovel III and several GAO officials will be in attendance. Full witness list: http://1.usa.gov/GIOM8C

MARYLAND ICC ALERT: Crews will be working on bridge repairs (already?) this week. Watch for delays. More from the Examiner: http://bit.ly/GP5HDv

EXCLUSIVE — Airports get high approval: Anecdotally, MT hears lots of complaining about the flying experience and how it has become less luxurious. But according to a survey commissioned by ACI-NA it’s not the fault of airports. Registered voters have a more favorable view of airports (67 percent) than local schools (61), local government (50) and car companies (49).

But airports are blamed for delays on the tarmac by 47 percent of those surveyed and 35 percent ding them for long lines at security checkpoints — factors ACI-NA deems outside airports’ control. And as airports press for more control over airport improvement funding in the next FAA bill, just a quarter of those surveyed know the feds currently cap passenger facility charges. Read the official release later Monday: http://airportsforthefuture.org

CALLING/URGING/ENCOURAGING: The U.S. Conference of Mayors took its case to reporters Friday, asking the House to, ahem, pass the Senate transportation bill. It all sounds familiar because it’s the same tack the Senate has taken — try to use a mic to force the House’s hand. Said Philly Mayor Michael Nutter: “It’s amazing to many of us as mayors the things that happen or don’t happen in the Congress, we would never be able to get away as mayors of cities.” Mayors just can’t believe the debate concerns length of an extension, rather than a longer-term solution.

L.A.’s Antonio Villaraigosa deemed the exercise “another punt” and Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin said “extensions mean delay. And that costs our city money.” Echoing Senate Democrats, the bipartisan group of mayors was just not encouraged the three-month House extension is a clean one; Nutter said it was a “perfect example of some members of Congress not understanding how progress gets done.” OKC Mayor Mick Cornett may have had the winning anecdote. He recalled being a city hall reporter covering the construction of the interstate in his city — and seeing the ribbon cut 14 years later. “And that was 4.5 miles,” Cornett said.

NO REAL CRACKS IN GOP: Last week, when Democrats tried to attach the Senate transportation bill to the GOP’s proposal to repeal IPAB, one Republican, Lee Terry, voted with the Democrats to do so and another, Tim Johnson, voted “present.” Republican revolt? If only. Johnson told MT the vote had nothing to do with transportation and instead with the guts of the health care bill at hand — which Johnson and Terry eventually voted against. And a spokesman for Terry said his “no” vote was to make a point about medical malpractice.

MT procedural note: The vote was technically on “ordering the previous question” on the rule that would have let the health care bill come to the floor. That motion would have forced an immediate vote on the rule. Democrats were thinking transport, but the GOP was motivated largely by a desire to get its IPAB repeal bill done.

MT POLL — Distracted driving: This one’s running for another week since we’re intrigued by the results so far. Be honest: Are you guilty of distracted driving? We promise it’s all completely anonymous. Distracted but guilty drivers lead so far, with “NEVER” taking second place. Vote and see results: http://bit.ly/yRGHBD

- TSA agents at Baltimore-Washington International Airport found and seized a pair of brass knuckles that included two knife blades. Pic: http://bit.ly/GKX79z

THE COUNTDOWN: Highway and transit policy runs out in six days, DOT funding in 188 days and FAA policy in 1,284 days. There are 225 days before the 2012 election. It's been 908 days (and eight extensions) since SAFETEA-LU expired.

THE CHAMBER’S NEW CHAMBER: The Chamber of Commerce, which employs around 500 people, has moved its entire congressional affairs team closer to Congress. The group is renting space near the Capitol (430 First St. SE) from the American Trucking Associations’s Hill branch near Bullfeathers.

Rolf Lundberg, the Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Congressional and Public Affairs: “Article I of the Constitution created the Congress, the First Amendment protects our right to petition the government, and our new address on First Street places us literally and symbolically next to the seat of power to act on behalf of the business community for better laws and wiser policy.”

CABOOSE — Getting adjusted: Former T&I Chairman Jim Oberstar, chatted with Kathryn on Friday, saying he was enjoying his new life but was still adjusting to not having minions. “I don’t have anyone to draft my correspondence,” he said with a laugh. Also missing: someone to fact-check things for him, so now he’s Google savvy. And, hey, Oberstar says he has an “iPhone, iPad, MacBook” — and a balky Internet connection. He says he’s got a signal booster “pointed at the nearest cellphone tower” at his home in Potomac, Md.

CORRECTION: A previous version of Morning Transportation gave the wrong date for the NTSB’s attentive driving forum. It will take place Tuesday.